Arrest Made In Creek Path Assaults, Rohnert Park Police Say

ROHNERT PARK, CA — A 16-year-old Cotati boy was arrested Friday in connection with a recent series of sexual battery assaults that took place on the Copeland Creek path in Rohnert Park, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said.

Detectives learned of the incidents on Monday after a victim who is an employee of Sonoma State University reported her encounter — indecent exposure — to the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety as well as campus police at SSU.

Later in the day Monday, officers from the Cotati Police Department were handling an unrelated call for service at a home in Cotati when they realized the person they were talking to matched the description of the person described in the press release published earlier that day by the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety. The boy was wearing yellow shorts with smiley faces and had eyeglasses similar to the ones described by the victims.

Cotati police began working alongside Rohnert Park detectives to investigate the series of sexual batteries which happened Saturday, Sunday and Monday. In all three cases, the perpetrator rode a black mountain bike.

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Soon, two more victims came forward and said they were assaulted in the same manner in recent weeks. The suspect described in the assaults matched the description from the recent Rohnert Park incidents, police said.

Detectives served a search warrant at the boy's home and found evidence that tied him to the criminal activity, Rohnert Park police said.

The 16-year-old was taken into custody without incident and was booked into juvenile hall on suspicion of sexual battery and indecent exposure.

Police said they will not release the specifics of the evidence nor information about the boy's identity.

The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety encourages anyone who has encountered something similar but has not yet reported it to call the Department any time day or night at 707-584-2600.

"This investigation is a great example of the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety, SSU Police and the Cotati Police Department all working swiftly together to keep our communities safe," police said.